Bottle Gourd

The bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) is a vegetable with a long history, dispersed in both directions from its tropical African origins. Dried, it’s used to make water bottles, cups, and musical instruments. Young and tender bottle gourds are a favorite Parsi vegetable, with a gentle, neutral quality that lends itself to savory as well as sweet treatments. Besides being available at farmers’ markets, they’re increasingly sold at mainstream markets, not just those catering to Indian and other Asian clients. Look for bottle gourd sold as upo (Tagalog) or cucuzza (Italian).